Mail-pouch.



p11/711158858; wwf/w01? 4 Pam/cfr J H1/MER..

Wm By P. J. L-AWLER.

MAIL POUCH.

APPLICATION F1110 001.111,1915.

l; l 2,692. Patented Mayu@ v19161.

Kaum

11mm i* A TTUH/VEVS T@ @Edd FA MAIL-P OUCH.

Application led October 14, 1915.

0 all wim/m it may concern Be it known that 1, PATRICK J. LAwLur., acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Jackson township, in thecountyr of Crawford and State of lowa, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Mail-Pouches, of which the following is aspeciiication.

My invention is an improvement in mail pouches, and the invention hasfor itsobject to provide a pouch of the character speciiied, of acollapsible character, especially adapted for use in the collection anddelivery of mail matter on rural free delivery routes, wherein eachpatron is provided with two pouches, one for containing mail matter tobe left at the place of delivery by the carrier, the other forcontaining mail to be carried away by the carrier to be mailed from thelocal postoffice, wherein the pouches may be arranged in the same manneras boxes, during the distribution of mail at the central office, andwherein each pouch is adapted to contain the name of the patron, thenumber of the boX and route, and having a receptacle for money sent forstamps and the like.

1n the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved pouch,and Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section.

The improved pouch as shown consists of two portions or sections, one ofthe sections or portions being the bottom and the other the top orcover. The improved pouch is composed of upper and lower sheets 1 and 2,of leather or like suitable material, of suitable area, and a pair ofU-shaped or yokeshaped frames connected to the sheets by flxible sidesand ends. The upper U-shaped frame comprises a body 3 and arms 4 eX-tending laterally from the body and provided at their outer ends witheyes 5. The bottom frame is similar to the top frame and comprises abody G and arms 7 extending laterally from the body, each arm having aneye 8 at its outer end.

A shaft 9 is provided for connecting the U-shaped frames, and the eyesat the ends of the arms 4 and 7 engage the ends of the shaft 9. Theframes 3 4 and 6-7 are connected to the sheets 1 and 2, by front andrear sides 10 and 10a and ends 11 of flexible material` as for instance,leather or the like, and each of the strips is secured at one side edgeto the adjacent sheet 1 or 2, as the case may be, by means of stitching12 or the like.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented May 13, 1915.

Serial'NO. 55,837.

rlhe strip 10a at the rear side is continuous from the sheet 1 to thesheet 2, one side edge of the strip 101 being secured to the sheet 1 bystitching 12 and the other side edge to the sheet by similar stitching12. i tubular portion 10" is formed at the shaft 9 which encircles thesaid shaft, and the said portions is termed by doubling the materialaround the shaft and stitching it, as indicated at 12". The outer edgeof each of these strips 10 and 105L and 11 is provided with a. tubularportion 13, formed by bench ing the material of the strip over onto thebody and securing it to the body by means of stitching 14, and thebodies and arms of the U-shaped frames are passed through the tubularportions.

Spring mechanism is provided for holding the pouch open or closed. Thesaid mechanism comprises a coil spring 15, which is connected at each ofits ends with an endless loop 16, Yintermediate the ends of the loop.Each of the loops engages the adjacent arms of the U-shaped frames 3 4and 6 7, each loop engaging at one end an arm 4 and at the other end anarm 7.

Suitable openings are provided through the strips 11 for preventingdisplacement of the arms, and it will be evident that whenever the pouchis opened or closed, the spring 15 will be put under tension during theopening or closing, and the retraction of the spring when the pouch isopen or closed will hold the pouch in this position. Latch mechanism isalso provided for holding the pouch closed. r1`his mechanism comprises aresilient metal strap 17, secured at one end to the strip 10 of thelower or body section by means of a rivet 1S. and adapted to enover thebody 6 of the 1J-shaped frame of the upper section to hold the pouchclosed. Stops 19 in the form of washers are provided on the ends of theshaft, at the inner sides of the eyes 5 and 8, for prevent inglongitudinal movement of the shaft in the eyes.

A small pouch or compartment is provided on the inner face of the sheet1 for containing stamps, money or the like. This pouch is formed ofleather, or of the same material as the pouch, and comprises acompartment 20, and a ilap 21 is provided for closing the compartment.This flap is adapted to close over the compartment and to be passed downbeneath a cross iap 22 secured to the face of the compartment.

In use, the pouches will be approximately the same size as the ruralfree delivery boxes used, but being collapsible their size will dependupon the amount of mail matter in them. Each patron will be providedWith tWo pouches. The carrier Will deliver the pouches at the centralpostoffice, and during the distribution of the mail the postmaster willdistribute the same With the pouches open before him, so that each pouchWill receive the mail intended for the same. The pouches Will then beclosed and delivered to the carrier, Who, when he reaches thedestination of each' po-uch, Will deliver the said pouch to the patron,receiving the pouch containing the outgoing mail in return. f the patrondesires stamps or the like, he Will place the money in the compartment20, and When the stamps are purchased, they Will be placed in thecompartment 2O of the outgoing pouch. Thus there will always be a pouchin the possession of the carrier or at the postoflice, and a secondpouch in possession of the patron, and these pouches Will be exchangedfrom day to day. It will be understood that the pouches may be of anydesired size and capacity, and may be of any desired material. lfthought necessary, a lock may be provided for each pouch.

I claim:

l. A mail pouch comprising a body and a cover, said body and cover beingsimilar, and each being composed of a sheet of flexible material and asubstantially U-shaped frame comprising a body and arms extendinglaterally from the body, each arm having an eye at its outer end,collapsible strips of flexible material connecting each sheet to thebody and arms of the adjacent frame, a

shaft engaging the eyes for'permitting the cover to swing With respectto the body, spring mechanism for holding the pouch in ble material anda substantially U-shaped` frame comprising a body and arms extendinglaterally from the body, each arm having an eye atv its outer end,collapsible strips of flexible material connecting each sheet to thebody and arms of the adjacent frame, a shaft engaging the eyes forpermitting the cover to swing With respect to the body, spring mechanismfor holding the pouch in open or closed position, and releasable latchmechanism for holding the pouch in open or closed position, and acompartment having a cover on the inner face of the cover section.

3. A mail pouch comprising a body and a cover, said body and cover beingsimilar, and each being composed of a sheet of'liexible material and asubstantially U-shaped frame comprising a body, and arms extendinglaterally from the body, each arm having an eye at its outer end',collapsible strips of flexible material co-nnecting each sheetto thebody and arms of the adjacent frame, a shaft engaging the eyes forpermittingV the cover to swing With respect to the ibody,

spring mechanism for holding the pouchrin open or closed position, andreleasable latch.

mechanism for holding the ouch closed. Y

PATRCK J OH LAW'LER.` l/Vitnesses:

FRANCIS D. SHERIDAN, LEWIS E. MoLAoED.

Copies o this patent may be obtained. for iive cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patenti, A

' Washngtonj. i Y I

